Nottingham couldn’t have wished for a much tougher opening to their Championship campaign as they welcomed last season’s runners-up, Cornish Pirates, to The Bay. In a relatively even contest the visitors were ultimately able to convert more of their chances into tries but Nottingham managed to salvage a losing bonus point thanks to Jay Ecclesfield’s first score for the club.
The Archers’ task didn’t get any easier right from the off as they found themselves down to 14 when David Williams took out a Cornish Pirates winger in the air after two minutes.
The Pirates made their man advantage count moments later as their captain John Stevens crossed near the corner but Bruce Houston had a problem trying to convert. Nottingham’s plight was made even worse on 10 minutes after the ball was kicked deep into Nottingham territory but the Archers’ clearing kick was charged down, allowing Matt McNab to pounce on the loose ball for the score that Houston converted from a more favourable angle this time, to make it 12-0 to Pirates.
After Matt Arden had reduced the arrears with a penalty, Nottingham, now back to full strength, started to dictate play a little more, winning a series of penalties in and around their opponents’ 22 that culminated in the Cornish lock Hugh Bokenham being sent to the bin for collapsing the maul. Nottingham got their maul going once again from the ensuing lineout enabling Harry Clayton to get the try, excellently converted by Arden to make it 10-12.
The Archers couldn’t continue the resurgence, however, as the next 10 minutes belonged to the Pirates. They made the pressure count approaching the half hour mark as hooker Morgan Nelson extended The Pirates lead but, once again, Houston couldn’t convert from wide left.
That score sparked Nottingham back into life as, on 33 minutes, Ryan Olowofela skipped past two defenders on his way into the Cornish 22. His pass inside couldn’t quite be gathered by Williams at the first attempt. The winger claimed he had been tackled without the ball but, as he just got a touch to it before the contact, referee Jack Makepeace instead awarded a knock on to Pirates. A penalty from the following scrum allowed the away side to clear.
In the last action of the half a cross-field kick from the visitors nearly saw Arthur Relton touch down in the corner but he couldn’t quite reach the ball before it went into touch, leaving the score at Nottingham 10-17 Cornish Pirates at half time.
After a minor foray into Pirates territory at the start of the second half, Notttingham spent the next ten minutes or so penned in their own 22. They missed an opportunity to clear when they overthrew a lineout but, after toying with attempting to run it out they eventually cleared to halfway via the boot of Arden.
It was midway through the second period when Nottingham were able to make serious inroads into the Pirates half. First, following quick taps from a free-kick and a penalty Nottingham were held up over the Pirates line, then Harry Graham’s dancing feet carved an opening that resulted in a penalty. Nottingham opted to go for the posts and Arden duly dispatched the kick to make it 13-17.
Inside the final five minutes The Pirates were able to claim their try bonus point via Bokenham following a prolonged period camped on the Nottingham goal line. But The Archers were not done as, despite kicking the restart out on the full, they were able to regain possession and, with the clock in the red, the ball eventually reached Ecclesfield for his maiden try, making the final score Nottingham 18-24 Cornish Pirates.
Sponsors’ Player of the Match, Ryan Olowofela:
“We’ve been building really nicely all pre-season with tough matches against Leicester and Ampthill. The back line felt really comfortable out there so it was a little disappointing that we only got a losing bonus point but it just goes that way sometimes. We were a little bit guilty of compounding errors and that’s what let The Pirates into the game.”